Bongino worked with the New York Police Department for four years, from 1995 to 1999.[4] He joined the U.S. Secret Service in 1999 as a special agent,[4] leaving the New York Field Office in 2002 to become an instructor at the Secret Service Training Academy in Beltsville, Maryland. In 2006, he was assigned to the U.S. Presidential Protection Division during George W. Bush's term. He remained on protective duty after Barack Obama became President, leaving in May 2011 to run for the U.S. Senate.[4]

Bongino ran for political office to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate.[5] Former gubernatorial candidate Brian Murphy was his campaign Chairman.[4] He won the Republican primary on April 3, 2012, with 33.8 percent of the vote, defeating nine other candidates. He ran against Senator Ben Cardin and wealthy Independent Rob Sobhani in the November 2012 general election and finished second.[6]

Bongino ran for the U.S. House of Representatives seat from Maryland's 6th Congressional District in the 2014 election against incumbent Democrat John Delaney. The district is considered the 9th least compact Congressional district as a result of redistricting after the 2010 census.[7] In October 2013 Bongino was endorsed by an Allen West-affiliated group.[8][9] In July 2014 Bongino was endorsed by Rand Paul.[10] Bongino lost a close race, coming within a few thousand votes of an upset victory, despite the incumbent being heavily favored according to The Cook Political Report.[11]

In late 2013, Bongino's book about his career as a secret service agent, Life Inside the Bubble, was released and immediately made it onto both the New York Times and Amazon Best Sellers list. The book discusses his experiences protecting presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and investigating federal crimes along with his 2012 run for the U.S. Senate in Maryland.[15]

The book caused controversy, with an anonymous former colleague criticizing him for trying to use his proximity to President Obama in his political career: "He's trying to draw attention to himself and he's hijacking the Secret Service brand. That's all he's got going for him." Bongino claimed to have had access to "high-level discussions" in the White House. Anonymous former colleagues said he "tends to exaggerate his importance on the presidential detail and exaggerate his proximity" and that "We don't sit in on meetings at the White House. We don't sit in on high-level meetings."[16]

In response to the criticism from an anonymous former colleague, Bongino stated "There’s nothing confidential in the book" and "It’s not a tell-all. It’s my tale of the Secret Service."[17] The book itself contains no direct references to private conversations or attendance in high level meetings[18]

Bongino is married to the former Paula Martinez and has two daughters. They reside in Severna Park, Maryland. Bongino and his wife are small business owners and their core business concentration is security-consulting, Internet design and development.[19] Bongino is a frequent radio host and commentator on both local and national radio programs. He is a guest host for both the Sean Hannity radio show and the Mark Levin radio show. Bongino has also provided guest commentary on both political and security matters for the NBC Nightly News, CBS This Morning, the Fox News Channel, CNN and MSNBC and a multitude of print and online outlets.[20]